NY court dismisses challenge to Ted Cruz’s citizenship status

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz speaks during an appearance in New York on March 23, 2016. On March 24, a New York court rejected an attempt to disqualify Cruz from New York's Republican presidential primary because he was born in Canada. Photo Credit: Getty Images / Spencer Platt

The lawsuit was filed last month by two New York voters -- William Gallo, of Manhasset, and Barry Korman, of Manhattan. They claimed Cruz should be ineligible for the presidency – a claimed echoed by GOP front-runner Donald Trump – because he was born in Canada. Cruz said he is a natural born citizen because his mother is American.

The court noted that Cruz filed petitions on Jan. 20 to qualify for the New York primary (slated for April 19) and any challenge to his eligibility had to be filed within three days.

“It is undisputed that (Gallo and Korman) did not file their general objections and specifications until February 17, 2016, thus failing to comply with the prescribed time frame set forth in Election Law,” Judge Karen Peters wrote for the court.

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